Penne Pasta Polo(Penne Pasta in Chicken)

This was the first ever recipe i cooked or made.It goes back to 2003-04 when i first started kitchen experiments.It took several turns to try and test this one.This is one of the hot favorites among our gals esp mo n naina as well as among my Mom-dad.Didi-Jiju and all my close frds:)

Ingredients

Olive oil(Prefer Extra Virgin)
Onions finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste
Vegetables of your choice mushroom broccoli ,baby corn ,bell pepper,sun dried tomatoes
Boneless chicken boiled
Chili flakes
Italian herbs Oregano,Basil,Rosemary,Thyme,Parsley
Milk
Cream
Butter
Cheese
Cornflour
Penne pasta
Salt n Pepper to taste

Procedure:
Take a pan put the Extra virgin olive oil let it heat a while
Add chopped onions let them fry till slightly pink.Now add ginger garlic paste n let it cook a while.
Add all the finely chopped veges and chicken.Cook it well and add salt,pepper

Now add chili flakes depending on how spicy u want it.

In another pan mix cornflour water and milk n heat.Add butter.Stir it continuously so that no lumps are made Once it blends add this to the cooked veges n chicken

Now separately in a vessel add penne pasta +water+vegetable oil.Cook till it is soft n edible.Now discard the water and add it to our cooked veges + chicken
Top with the Italian herbs

Finally add cheese and heat till it melts.You can either put in Microwave or even your normal pan

Now it is ready to serve..Serve with garlic bread!!


Chef's Tip:Incase you want to make it in red sauce, add tomato puree to the white sauce ,ade and add it to mixture.Rest all procedure remains same

Bon Appetit
Ash

Potato Mint Kebabs

My mom-in-law saw this on a Marathi cookery show, and we of course made our own additions / changes to it.. This one also goes to Simple Indian Food fried snacks event!

4 medium boiled and coarsely mashed potatoes

1/3 cup gram flour

2-3 tbsp corn flour

Dried mint leaves crushed

Ginger-garlic paste 3/4 tsp

1 green chilli (paste / ground)

1 1/2 tsp chat masala

100 gms crushed paneer

Salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a vessel. Roll into kebabs and deep fry on medium heat. Serve hot!

Forgot to take a pic :( Will make it again and post a pic soon

-Naina

P.S.: You can use crushed Kasuri Methi instead of dry mint leaves.

Microwave Dhokla

This one's really simple and quick! Got inspired by my mom's recipe (she steams this in a cooker, without the whistle for 10 mins), and also from an entry on Easy Indian Food
This goes to the steamed treats event at When I Play Chef


1 cup rawa
2-3 tbsp curd
1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste (optional)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 green chilly chopped
1 tsp Eno fruit salt
Water
Salt to taste

Mix all the above ingredients (except eno) in enough water to make a batter of consistency similar to any dhokla or idli you would make.
Add eno and mix again. Immediately transfer to a greased microwavable dish (but not plastic). Microwave on high for 4 mins, and its done.
Let it cool, cut in pieces and serve with chutney.

-Naina

Mircovawe Sevai Kheer

It's nice having hot kheer in the rains! This one ended up being very nice.. actually made it in office!


This one's going to Microwave Easy cooking Potluck Party



1/2 cup roasted vermicelli
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
3-4 cups milk
3-4 tbsp milkmaid (no need to add sugar)

Mix all the ingredients and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes. Keep stirring after every minute. Check if the vermicelli is cooked, and it is ready to serve.. Quick and tasty.

-Naina

Pizza

This is a little different method for making pizza having toppings with white sauce.

What you need:
Pizza base
Corn flour
Milk, cream (depending on how health conscious you are)
Cheese (optional for health conscious people)
Vegetables of your choice for the toppings chopped (Baby corns, or sweet corn, red or yellow bell pepper, capsicum, French beans, carrot, cherry tomatoes)
Italian herbs
Pepper powder
Tomatoe Ketchup

Method:

Preferably, take a nonstick pan for making the topping. Pour milk in the pan add corn flour keep stirring to thicken it evenly, add cream, cheese let the cheese melt. After all the ingredients have properly melted add the chopped vegetables to it. Let all the vegetables cook well. Add Italian herbs, salt to taste and pepper powder to it.

Roast the pizza base on a separate pan and apply a layer of ketchup to it. Pour the toppings cooked in white sauce over it . Serve hot.

Tip: You can even make this over garlic bread as a starter, instead of meal.

Guten Appetit!
Monica

Beetroot Soup

This is an easy to make nutritious soup which can be eaten with rice or simply as an evening snack to overcome not so major sham ki bhook.
Click here for pic..
What you need is:

1 beetroot
5-6 Tomatoes
Ginger
Garlic
Curry leaves
Mustard Seeds
Cumin Seeds
Salt to taste
Chilly powder
Asafoetida

Method:

Cook beetroot in cooker, peal it and blanch tomatoes . Blend beetroot and tomatoes together, you can sieve the puree if you want..(if health conscious let the fiber be there ) Add chilly powder and salt to it.
In a separate utensil ,for tempering, add little ghee to it add mustard seeds , cumin seeds, crushed garlic and ginger (garlic 4-5 pods, ginger 1/2inch) , curry leaves. After this has turned brown add asafoetida and then the tomatoes and beetroot puree.

Any soup can be thoroughly enjoyed in this season! At the window sipping the soup while seeing the rains. 

Guten Appetit!
Monica

Italian food

It often happens when we reach an Italian restaurant even in Bombay,we are amazed by the menu and do not know what to ask for and in which order.Our second part of Italian cuisine series deals with the various courses of Italian food and in what order it is to be eaten

Italians are very systematic and particular about their food. Usually their food is broken into several courses usually balancing proteins carbohydrates and drinks.Their food is usually broken into 7-8 courses and they relish each n every one.Lets discuss each in brief

1.Aperitivo

Apéritif usually enjoyed as an appetizer before a meal, includes Alcholic drink like Vermouth.

2.Antipasto

A meal in Italy usually begins with an antipasto (starter), a sort of "warm up" dish before the real meal begins. It includes hot and cold appetizers such as crostini, bruschetta sometimes even typical thincrust pizzas and garlic bread

3.Primo

"First course", usually consists Carbohydrates .Its usually consisting of pasta, minestrone, risotto, or zuppa (soup) or lasagne. It is often served in bowl

4.Secondo

"Second course", the main course, usually Meat/Fish often meat, poultry, game, or fish. This is often the bulk of proteins in the food

5.Contorno

"Side dish", may consist of a salad or cooked vegetables.

A traditional menu features salad along with the main course vegetables such as melanzane (eggplant), spinaci (spinach), or insalata mista (mixed salad also includes /asparagus/broccoli)

6.Formaggio e frutta

Literally means "cheese and fruits"

7.Dolce

Its the “dessert," which includes such favorite sweets as tiramisù, gelato,granitto,bisotti,cheesecakes, crostoli and fritole

8.Caffè

Coffee. They have many types of coffees .Italians are known for their varieties of coffees

9.Digestivo

These are "digestives” Ammazzacaffè, a common Italian custom, especially after a generous meal.

10.Wines

Red wine in the Veneto region such as Cabernet and Merlot is often served as table wine, while white wines like Prosecco and Moscato are more common for dessert wines.

So next time you go to an authentic place don’t forget to taste each n every course in petit portions:)

Bon Appetit

Ash